Vic: Fire crews prepare for worsening weather later this week

AAP General News (Australia)
12-18-2006
Vic: Fire crews prepare for worsening weather later this week

MELBOURNE, Dec 18 AAP - Victorian fire crews continued to backburn and shore up containment
lines in Gippsland and the state's north-east overnight, before temperatures climb later
this week.

The fires have burnt more than 680,000 hectares of bush, with the blaze at Mount Terrible,
near Kevington, blackening 310,000 hectares.

Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) coordinator Paul Bates said fire
crews were preparing for worsening weather conditions on Wednesday and Thursday.

"While conditions remain mild, we are working around the clock to ensure the fires
will have no chance to break away under the influence of higher temperatures and renewed
winds," he said.

"That means making sure any advancing fire front runs into fire breaks and areas where
we have already burnt the available fuel.

"In the meantime, there are indications of increased fire activity around Mt Hotham
and Falls Creek, and we are directing more resources into suppressing that."

Overnight, fire crews worked on protecting private property in Jamieson and Kevington,
and backburning in the Merrijig area.

Today, they plan to backburn in Woods Point, Matlock, and Jamieson.

Merrijig residents will meet in Merrijig Hall at 11am (AEDT) and Jamieson residents
will meet at their town hall at 5pm.

The following schools have been reopened: Myrrhee Primary School, Whitfield District
School, Mount Beauty Primary School, Mount Beauty Secondary School, Tawonga Primary School
and Harrietville Primary School.

Edi Upper Primary School will reopen tomorrow.

Jamieson Primary School, Merrijig Primary School and Bogong Outdoor Education Centre
will remain closed for the rest of the year.

The school year ends on Thursday.

AAP mj/wjf

KEYWORD: BUSHFIRES VIC DAYLEAD

2006 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.